Nicol is a top-order batsman who bowls part time off-spin. He started his career with Auckland and played there for eight seasons before moving to Canterbury in 2009/10. He was at his peak i...Full profile

Nicol is a top-order batsman who bowls part time off-spin. He started his career with Auckland and played there for eight seasons before moving to Canterbury in 2009/10. He was at his peak in 2002/03 where he scored 664 runs but could not find a place in the National squad. However, after moving to Canterbury he had a brilliant first season where he aggregated over 500 runs. That led to him being called for the ODI squad for the Zimbabwe tour.

Nicol made an impact straightaway as he scored a hundred on his debut. But, he has failed to impress since then as he has scored only other hundred and that also against Zimbabwe. Being in his early 30's, Nicol is very near to the end as to the start, and with youngsters like Williamson and Tom Latham emerging the chances of him being back in the National team look very bleak.

Fact: Rob Nicol is only the second New Zealand player after Martin Guptill to score a ODI century on debut and seventh overall.